Section of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket expected to smash into the moon

A section of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to collide with the moon as soon as August.

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According to Project Pluto, the rocket's upper stage is forecast to impact the lunar surface on Aug. 5, 2026, at approximately 2:35 a.m. EST.

The object is expected to strike the moon at roughly 5,400 miles per hour near Einstein Crater, which is a rugged, heavily cratered region on the moon.

The upper stage, which is the height of a five-story building, originated from a SpaceX mission that launched on Jan. 15, 2025.

Falcon 9 rockets are designed with detachable stages. As the rocket ascends and burns through fuel, the upper stage separates from the lower stage to reduce weight and improve efficiency.

Most rocket stages either remain in Earth orbit for a period of time before re-entering the atmosphere, or are sent into solar orbit.

However, this particular stage has remained in an extended orbit around Earth for more than a year and is now on a journey toward the moon.

This will not be the first human-made object to impact the moon. NASA crashed the upper stages of both the Apollo 13 and Apollo 17 missions into the moon. 

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Experts say the Falcon 9 upper stage poses no danger to Earth or the moon.

While the collision will add to the growing collection of debris on the lunar surface, it is not expected to have any significant effect on the moon.